The New Kid
by TheWoofMan
Summary: A prequel series to Starfox: University Mac is the new kid at Being new comes with all the same pros and Pros? A new Cons? People constantly talking about you, having little/no friends, assholes, a completely new schedule, getting lost on campus, the list goes on and on. This is a backstory for how Mac and Panther met and eventually became *SPOILER CENSORED*
1. Chapter 1 - The New Kid

**[A/N] **WASSUP MUTHAFUCKA'S?!  
TheWoofMan here, with a NEW story. Although it's a roughly short one, simply a backstory for Mac and Panther. I'm doing this because I need a break from StarFox: University, and I also realized that in SFU I never really did say much about Mac and Panther's past. So this one, like SFU is set in school years, except no Wolf, Fox, Krystal, Brad, etc. and that this is in high school, how the two met, became friends, best friends, and especially, *nudge nudge* youuu know. ;D  
Aaaaaanywho, you guys probably wanna read this. So, here we GOOOOOOOOOOOO!  
One more quick thing though. This won't be like SFU with the multiple vantage points. Just Mac's.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**OCTOBER 16TH  
FIRST SEMESTER, FRESHMAN YEAR**

"_BEEP BEEP BEEP_" My alarm clock droned, in a high, piercing tone. I groaned, raising my fist and slamming it on it. It continued beeping.  
"I'm up, dammit!" I fumbled with the alarm, flicking the switch on the side, and the alarm silenced. "Thank God." I groaned, rolling off of my bed, landing in a heap on the floor. I got to my feet, dragging them as I padded down the hall to the bathroom.  
I pushed the door open, looking at myself in the mirror. I grabbed a brush, attempting to tame the wild curls that had grown on my head. After several minutes, I sighed, grabbing my sister's straightener from the drawer, flipping it on, and walking back to my room to dress while it heated.  
A moment later I returned, wearing skinny jeans, and a black "_Fox On The Dance Floor" _T-shirt. I grabbed the flat-iron, flattening the curls on my head. After that, I grabbed the brush again and brushed my hair to the side over one eye, in what people would call an "emo" hairstyle.  
I left the bathroom, heading down the stairs to the kitchen.  
In the kitchen, my sister, Maria, sat at the table. She was a husky, like me, although she didn't inherit my mother's solid white coat. Instead, she took after my father, who's body had the traditional black patches in his coat. In front of her were two plates of eggs, toast, and bacon. She pushed one towards me, and I sat.  
"Mornin'." I poked at the eggs with my fork.  
"Don't talk so loud. You'll wake the kiddo." She scolded. She was referring to our little brother, Isaac. He was only in the second grade, so he didn't have to be awake until 7:30. Lucky kid.  
"Sorry." I apologized. After finishing my food, I grabbed my plate, along with Maria's, and set them in the sink. On the microwave was a note.

_Ride the bus home today, I won't be able to pic you up. Enjoy your first day!_

_-Mom-_

"Ready to go?" She asked.  
I sighed. "Yeah." With that, we walked out the door, I pulled it to behind me, locking it with the key.  
We waited in the drive way for the bus to arrive. I heard it before I saw it, it's engine loud and it's wheels squealing. It came to a stop in front of us, the door opening. We stepped on, finding our own empty seats. I leaned against the side of the bus, pulling my headphones over my ears and turning on some fast paced dubstep. I gazed out the window, deep in thought.  
Suddenly, somebody plopped down into the seat next to me, making me slightly jump. I looked over to see a large black cat, probably a panther, sitting next to me. He smiled and gave a small wave. I pulled my headphones off, hanging them around my neck.  
"Hey." I greeted him quietly.  
"New here?" He asked.  
"Uh... Yeah. I transferred from Corneria High."  
"You went to Corneria High?! Dude, that place is like, for the classiest people!" He looked impressed.  
"I-it's not all people say it is. The cafeteria food sucks, and we were required to wear these scratchy uniforms. Don't get me started on the strict rules, they were so damn uptight." I complained.  
He froze. "Dude, you better not use that kind of language again, or I'll have to report you to the headmaster!"  
"Wha?! I-I'm sorry I didn't know-"  
"Relax!" He smiled. "I'm just messing with you."  
"Oh..." I blushed. "I'm so dumb." I gave a small grin.  
"Don't worry about it." He grinned. "People tell me I'm a..." He paused. "Very good actor." He smiled.  
We sat in silence for a moment.  
"Well, we're here." He said, gesturing out the window.  
The bus was pulling up to the bus ramp of a three story school, with a beautiful courtyard, full of students busy talking to one another, some on phones, others busy at work. A few were even wrestling each other, pinning their opponent every few seconds before the other retorted.  
Beyond the courtyard was a grand entrance, with large stone pillars supporting a roof, and white marble steps leading up it. The building itself was stunning, with high brick walls, well-trimmed hedges, ornate statues, and many other decorations.  
"This doesn't look like a high school. It looks like a freaking mansion!" I gawked at the amazing school in front of me.  
"You may have come from Corneria High, but they aren't the best school around." He bragged.  
"You got that right, dude!" I paused. "Wait, what's your name? I'm Mac."  
"Name's Panther." He stood. "You gonna keep staring at the school through the window, or are you coming?" He smiled.  
"O-oh, right!" I grabbed my stuff and got off the bus after him. After I stood on the ground, we approached the school. I spun in circles, taking it all in. "This is even bigger than Corneria High! This is amazing!"

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**[A/N]** Short chapter, eh? They won't all be this short. And this miiiiiight actually be longer than a few chapters. I feel like this time I'm being more descriptive of the environment and such. What do you guys think?


	2. Chapter 2 - Arikun High School

[A/N] No author's note today.  
Wait, that's really conflicting.  
Whatever.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Woah-hoh-hoh!" I looked around taking everything in at once. Everything at this school was so... Perfect. "The school must cost millions!"  
"I dunno how much the school's worth." Panther said. "But wait till you see your classes."  
"Are you saying the classrooms are more impressive?!" I asked, excitedly.  
"Maybe. So what's your schedule, Mac?" He waited for my response, which didn't come. "Mac!"  
"Wha?! Oh, oh, yeah." I fumbled through my pocket, pulling out a folded schedule and passing it to him. He unfolded it and looked over it.  
"We've got all the same classes together." He said.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Now that's one hell of a coincidence. I'll show you around if you'd like."  
"Mac!"  
"Huh? S-sorry, this place is distracting." I scratched the back of my head.  
"I said I'd show you around school, if you want." He repeated.  
"O-oh, yeah! Thanks!"  
Suddenly, a bell sounded, and all the students began shuffling around, making their ways into the building to go to first period.  
"You comin'?" Panther asked. "Jeez, Mac."  
"What?! The school's just so big!"  
"Whatever. You'll get used to it." He wrapped a muscled arm around my shoulder, pulling me along into the flow of the crowd.  
Minutes later, we approached our first period class: Coordinate Algebra.  
"Now whatever you do, don't let this guy notice you breaking dress code. If he sees any holes in your jeans, he'll flip out. Last month he tried to make a rule requiring students to wear formal dress to school, but it was rejected. Thank God for that." Panther sighed. "He's also a complete asshole, and has no clue how to teach. Good luck learning a thing from him."  
We pushed the door open and entered, sitting in a pair of empty seats. I looked around the classroom.  
It was large, with a massive window giving a view from the second floor out over the rest of the campus. Instead of individual desks, there were large tables with benches that are like the pews in a church in front of them.  
"Ah, I see Mr. Caroso has brought us our new student. I'm Dr. Woodson." He was a short and stout ape, wearing a black suit that stretched over his gut. He gestured to me. "Class, this is Mac. I expect you all will welcome him to our school."  
I turned and looked around, feeling all the other student's eyes on me.  
"Hi." I said simply.  
"Now that the introductions are over, Mac, I assume you're familiar with slopes, coordinate planes, etcetera?" He asked.  
"Yes sir." I replied, with a nod of my head.  
"Alright then." He turned to the rest of the class. "Please open your text books to chapter seven, lesson nine." In response, the class groaned, and pulled out their books. I pulled mine out, opening it to the lesson, looking it over.  
"Slope and distance?" I mumbled. "I already know all this." I leaned back in my seat, pulling my headphones on over my head and listening to music; all while the teacher went over the lesson, writing equations on the board.  
"Mac." He noticed the headphones on my head. "There's going to be a test over this, I believe that you'd want to be knowledgeable of this topic. Pay attention." He glared at me.  
"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but I know how to do all of this already." I explained, pulling my headphones off and around my neck.  
"Would you like to demonstrate then?" He pointed to a problem on the projector.  
"Yes sir." I sighed, getting up and approaching the board.  
I dragged the pen across the smart screen, working equations and drawing lines. I turned back to the teacher.  
"X equals twelve." I answered, setting the pen back onto his desk and returning to my chair. Dr. Woodson simply stared at me.  
"Our class has been working on learning this lesson for a week and a half now. And you've only just gotten here." He smiled. "I must say, I am impressed. Feel free to enjoy your music once more." He turned back to the rest of the students, returning to the lesson.  
Panther nudged me. "Hey, Mac." I turned to him. "Woodson's never allowed somebody to even wear headphones in this class. You just earned some serious respect from him." He explained.  
"Cool." I responded. "My old school was a lot faster paced. We learned this back in August."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. We were ahead of you guys by weeks."  
"Wow." He sighed, slumping in his seat.

LUNCH PERIOD

I reached over the counter, grabbing a tray. The lunchroom was massive, with white tile floors, and tables scattered across the cafeteria. Students scrambled everywhere, choosing a lunch line and finding their friends at tables. I looked around, but most tables were taken, some completely full, others with someone holding spots for friends. A hand clapped onto my shoulder.  
"Mac!" Panther leaned over my shoulder. "What's up? You vanished in the hall on the way here."  
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realise I ran off." I apologised.  
"Don't worry about it. You wanna come eat with me and some friends?" Panther offered.  
"Sure." I followed Panther, and he led me to a table in the far corner of the cafeteria. Sitting at it was a tall great dane, and a short, thin lynx. Both watched as we approached.  
"Guys, this is Mac." He placed a hand on my back and nudged me forward.  
"Hi." I held up a hand, giving a small wave.  
"Names Carter." The great dane spoke in a deep voice, and fist bumped me.  
"Arun." The lynx said, he had a light accent, rolling his r's.  
"Mac's a new student, he's from Corneria High." Panther sat, and I did the same, scooting into the booth next to him.  
"Carter here is the star of the football team. He's built for it, as you can see." On cue, Carter flexed and kissed his biceps. "Arun is from Yaega up in north Corneria. You could probably tell from the accent."  
"Yaega huh? What's it like?" I asked, curiously.  
"Cold as hell." He smirked. "Snows there a lot, and when it isn't snowing, it's raining hail."  
"It's strange, usually Arun's not one for conversation." Carter nudged him in the ribs. "He likes to play the 'dark and silent' type."  
"Shut up." Arun flicked Carter's ear, to which he jumped and held his ear protectively. "Maybe I just feel like talking now." He reached and flicked Carter's other ear, and the two began poking and slapping at each other. I looked at Panther and grinned.  
"Never a dull moment, eh?"  
"Never." He agreed. "Alright you two, don't scare the kid off." Panther smiled.  
Carter had Arun in a head lock, while Arun gripped Carter's free hand, sticking his thumb into a pressure point on the wrist. "Huh?" The both said simultaneously and turned to us.  
Carter dropped Arun's head, and Arun released his wrist, patting his long dark hair back down, and flipping it out of his eyes.  
"Well, what's your story Mac?" Arun asked.  
"Well, I came from Corneria City because my parents got a job offer here in Arikun."  
"Cool. So what do you think about our little-town-of Arikun so far?" Carter asked.  
"I like it. Much calmer than Corneria City." I replied. "And this school is amazing."  
"Really? I guess we've gotten used to it already." Arun sighed, and looked down at his phone. "We've a few minutes before lunch is over." We all grabbed our trays and stood, taking them to the tray return, then returning to our seats for the last few minutes. The bell rang, and we stood once more.  
"I'll see you guys later then." I waved, as Panther and I walked away.  
"They seem to like you." Panther said.

I smiled in response. Maybe a new school wouldn't be so bad.

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[A/N] Well guys, that's it for this chapter, please review! I felt I should give a bit if background for some OC's, and so I also felt like giving one an accent. Think of Arun's accent kinda like a japanese-ish accent. (I've been watching a lot of Attack On Titan. Shinjeki No Kyojiin for those of you who know it by that name.) And so I like the main character, Eren. HIS NAME, IT JUST ROLLS OF THE TONGUE.  
Here's a brief description of those cities, schools, etecuh that was discussed.  
YAEGA

Yaega, pronounced Yay-guh, is located in northern Corneria, on a small continent. Most species up there are of the feline family, and speak the native language, Yaegan. Their primary export is sea food, due to their access to oceans abundant with life. Most of the land is urban. Winters are typically around 15°F, and summers to about 50°F.  
ARIKUN

Arikun, pronounced Are-ee-koon, is a small city located on the same continent as Corneria City, just south of it. The center is mostly an urban city, while the outer areas are more suburbs. The whole city is a blend of species and cultures, and the city is fairly wealthy, hence their nice schools and real-estate.  
ARIKUN HIGH SCHOOL

This is the city's most popular high school, and is very well-funded. The student body consists of nearly 1,500 students, and has over 250 different classes available. The school is most popular for it's top-notch football team. Originally a private school, but it was so expensive that few people enrolled, and was concerted to a public school.  
CORNERIA HIGH SCHOOL

Corneria High is located in Corneria City, and is one of the planet's most popular schools, mostly due to it's location of central-Corneria City. It's student body is more than that of Arikun High, exceeding 3,000 students. However, the school is slightly smaller than Arikun, so it is extremely overcrowded. The school has no outstanding records in academics or athletics.


	3. Chapter 3 - Wind and Fire

I sat in seventh period, watching the clock. Panther and I were in Gym, and today we were taking fitness tests. And unfortunately, I would have to participate. We only had fifteen minutes left, then I'd be fine, I hadn't gone yet.

But unfortunately, I wasn't getting off that easily.

"Mac! Get over here!" The coach, a tall and muscular great dane, who turned out to be Carter's dad ordered.

I did as I was told, while the coach called nine others over with me.  
"Alright, you guys have five minutes to finish one lap on this track. And no walkin'! He shouted. "Your time starts now!" We all took off, the more athletic ones leaving us in the dust. I ran, as fast as I could, to avoid running out of time. I was just past halfway across the track, with about three and a half minutes left. I needed a break, so bad, I could feel my heart beating rapidly.  
I slowed to a walk, trying to catch my breath at the same time.  
"Mac! What are you doing?! Run!" I looked over at the coach, and gestured to the people not even a quarter on the track, who were walking, and some not even moving. The coach put his hand to his brow, before rushing off to hurry the students up.  
The walking seemed to help, so I sped back into a jog, finishing my lap.  
I leaned against the wall, sinking to a sitting position. "How... How do you... Even have... The stamina... For that?" I panted between phrases.  
"I'm on the track team, I do plenty of running." Panther answered, handing me a bottle of water, which I gulped down.  
The bell rang, and we hurried back to the locker room, where we rushed to dress. After I was back in my normal clothes, I headed to the bus ramp.  
"So Mac," Panther started. "Got a girl back in Corneria City?" He asked.  
"Pfft! No!" I laughed. "I _suck_ at talking to girls."  
"You can't suck _that_ bad." He said.  
"A friend asked if a pair of pants made her butt look big."  
"So?"  
"I didn't know what to say, and a '_yes_' slipped out." I finished.  
"I can see how that would be a problem." He laughed with me.  
"Hey, Panther!" Arun called.  
Panther looked over his shoulder, as did I. "Yeah?"  
Arun stopped in front of us. "You still up for hanging out today?"  
"Sure." He glanced at me. "Is it cool if Mac comes?"  
"Yeah, sure."  
My phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out, seeing that it was my sister. I pressed ignore. If it was really important she'd call me back.  
"Let's go then." Arun said, gesturing with his hand for us to follow.  
"Where are we going?" I asked Panther.  
"You'll see when we get there." Panther answered, leaving it at that.  
We got into a car parked in the front of the school, a young wolf-fox hybrid in the driver's seat. He was nearly the same size as me, if a little bit taller. He had fiery-orange fur, like most foxes do, his hands and feet fading to a jet black. He also had the claws, fangs, and tail of a wolf.  
"You guys ready to go?" He asked.  
"You know it Pierce." Arun answered. "Carter's got football practice today, so he won't be showing."  
"Who's that?" Pierce stiffened, getting quieter and gestured to me.  
"This is Mac. He transferred from Corneria High. He's cool, don't worry 'bout him."  
"Oh. Alright then." He said much quieter.  
"Pierce is generally a quiet guy, 'til you get to know him. Then he's one _crazy_ sonofabitch." Panther laughed.  
Pierce pulled out of the parking lot, and merged into traffic. We drove along main roads for awhile, before turning off into the parking lot of an old crumbling building.  
"This is it?" I asked, confused.  
"This is the _place_, not the _activity_." Arun explained, stepping out of the car, the rest of us doing the same. Pierce popped the trunk, and Panther, Arun, and I looked inside, joined by Pierce. He reached inside, pulling out a slim board, roughly four feet long and a foot wide.  
"You guys have Wind Skimmers?!" I jumped in anticipation.  
"Sure do. _Lucky for you_, we always bring an extra should one break or malfunction." Pierce replied, pulling each out and handing them to each of us.  
Wind Skimmers were basically high tech skate boards, save that they had no wheels and that they weren't limited to the ground. They had thousands of micro-jets implanted into the bottoms, each shooting out the equivalent of a can of compressed air. Basically, when stationary, the board can hold a grown man's weight seven feet off the ground.  
"So Mac," Panther turned to me; "ever done this before?"  
"I've wanted to, but no." I answered, hanging my head in shame.  
"Hey, it's cool, I'll show you how." Panther patted my back, and we all entered the building.  
It looked like it had once been a large stadium or observatory, but had long ago been decommissioned. The center had a large, open space, while the outer area was ringed with bleachers. The roof was probably seventy feet above our heads, from the ground in the center of the stadium.  
The newest renovations had turned it into a skimming park, with ramps and hills everywhere. Near the walls separating the stands and the field, was a ramp surrounding the whole area, sloping them into a ramp that could be skimmed along.  
"Here we go!" Pierce jumped onto his board, taking off into the stadium and ramping off of a hill, flipping midair.  
"Hey, don't steal all the fun for yourself!" Arun powered up his board, getting a running start and leaping onto it.  
"Alright Mac, first, power up your board." Panther ordered.  
I fumbled with the board for a second.  
"Heh heh... How do I do _that_, exactly?" I rubbed the back of my head in humiliation. Panther simply laughed.  
"There's a small pressure pad on the front, press down on it with your foot." I sat my board down, standing on it. I tenderly tapped my foot to it, and the board lifted into the air quickly.  
"Woah!" I tipped forward, nearly falling before Panther grabbed me by the shoulders, floating next to me on his board, and slowly leaning me back up onto mine.  
"You good?" He asked.  
"Yeah. Thanks." I balanced on the board, perfectly still.  
"Okay, now to move forward, push the front of your board downwards a bit." I complied, and my board slowly drifted forward. "The same goes for backwards, just push your back foot down. Turning is a bit more tedious." He explained. "You have to gently lean your board to the side you want to move towards. Go to the right." He ordered, and I gently floated to the side.  
"_Good_. Now to move faster, just tip further. We're gonna head out now, so be sure to keep low, you don't wanna fall too far." Panther rocketed out into the stadium, followed by me, going slightly slower.  
"This is _so_ cool!" I yelled. Overhead, Pierce and Arun flipped and twisted, sometimes coming within a few inches of each other.  
I sped forward, approaching the small ramp and flying over it, launching myself into the air, but not doing any crazy tricks like the others.  
"Hey Panther!" I called out to the feline. "How do you guys do all those tricks?!"  
"You have to shut your board down mid-flight, tap the pad with your hand! Then you do the trick, and turn it back on before hitting the ground!" He called back, flipping through the air right next to me, patting my head playfully as he flew by. "Be _careful_ though!" He warned.  
I turned back around, speeding towards another ramp, and just as I made liftoff, I tapped the pressure plate on my board, doing a simple 360 spin through the air. I tapped the pad again, the board slowing it's descent. "Awesome!" I shouted joyfully.  
"Good job Mac!" Arun called from above.  
"Try a flip!" Pierce suggested.  
I headed for the largest ramp, rocketing up it, into the air. Once more, I pressed the pad, flipping my board forward. I shouted with glee mid-flip, and reached for the plate on my board, only to make contact with empty air.

"_Shit_!"

My board fell away completely, and I fell freely through the air. I watched the ground get closer, _twenty_ feet, then _ten_, then _five_. I closed my eyes, bracing for impact.

_It didn't come._

Instead, I felt myself get pulled to the side, moving forward. I opened my eyes.  
I was in Panther's arms, as he stopped the board.  
"Are you okay? He asked, concerned.  
"Y-yeah." I stuttered.  
"Dude, you forgot to have him put the ankle straps on?!" Pierce scolded Panther.  
"I was just excited and got distracted! You guys could've helped, but you just ran off and left him with me!" He argued back.  
"G-guys, don't argue over me, I'm-"  
Pierce cut me off. "You could've died! That was a thirty foot drop, _head first_!"  
"Pierce, I'm fine now!" I gestured to myself, and suddenly blushed. I tapped Panther's shoulder.  
"P-Panther, you can set me down now."  
"O-oh!" He lowered me to the ground, blushing.  
My phone buzzed in my pocket.  
'_Huh?_' I reached in, pulling it out and answering it.  
"Wassup?" I answered.  
"What the fuck Mac?!" My sister's voice screamed into the phone.  
"What?!" I pulled it away slightly, my ear ringing.  
"I called you after school ended. You were supposed to go walk Isaac home from his school after you got home! Why the hell did you ignore my call?!" She shouted through the phone's small speakers.  
"Hey, if it were important, you would've called back, don't try and blame this on me!" I argued back.  
"Mom had to go pick him up. She's pissed, and tried to blame me! You should've answered my first call, dipshit!"  
"Hey bitch, it's not the end of the world. Why don't you calm the fuck down?"  
"Calm down? You're the problem here, you little-" I tapped the 'end call' button, and powered my phone down.  
'_God, why do I have to be related to her?!_' I thought angrily.  
"Something wrong Mac?" Pierce asked, a mixture of curiosity and concern.  
"My stupid fucking sister is getting me into trouble, that's all." I rolled my eyes. "Can I get a ride home?"  
"Sure." Pierce complied, holding our boards over our shoulders, we exited the stadium, back into the dusty old parking lot.  
The ride to my place was silent, the only sound was the occasional cough or sneeze, and the wheels rolling over bumps and potholes. Pierce stopped at the entrance to my neighbourhood, which was locked with a passcode gate.  
"Here's fine." I said, stepping out of the car. "Thanks for the fun time, guys."  
Panther stepped out after me. "I'll walk with you. This is my neighbourhood too, after all." I couldn't help but smile, having a new friend close enough to walk with me to my house already.  
We waved to Pierce and Arun as they pulled out, back into the road, driving off. I turned to the gate, typing the passcode, stepping back as it opened. Panther and I stepped through.  
We walked, the red an orange leaves crackling under our feet. A gentle breeze blew, carrying leaves from the trees, which were bare and becoming dormant for the winter. We passed by house after house, some well kept, others with foot tall weeds that reached for our ankles as we travelled along the sidewalk.  
"Thanks for today." I said, breaking the silence.  
"You mean for saving your ass?" Panther teased. "All in a day's work."  
"Not just that, but thank God you did." I smiled again. "I was meaning for everything today. Showing me around, introducing me to your friends, letting me hang out with you guys, all that."  
"Don't thank me." He grinned. "You don't thank somebody for being your friend!" He joked. "You act like you've never had any!"  
I looked at the ground, quietly.  
"Oh, sorry!" He stopped, concerned. "I didn't mean-"  
"No, it's fine." I looked back up at him. "I just never really connect with people, that's all. So this is really cool for me." I explained.  
"I feel so special now." He threw an arm around my neck, putting me in a headlock and ruffling my hair. I laughed, squirming in his grip, trying to pull away, grabbing at his arms. After a moment, he let me go.  
"Hey, what is that?" Panther pointed to a plume of smoke, rising from something ahead.  
"Huh?" I looked at it, and then to the house numbers heading towards it.  
'_115, 117, 119...'_  
"Oh no." I sped forward, at a full-on sprint.  
"Hey, wait up!" Panther called, stumbling after me.

'_No, no, no, everything's fine._' I tried to calm myself. I turned, to see a house, the whole thing consumed with flames. Firemen were scattered around the house, spraying it with the hose, but to no avail, the flames were too hot.

"No!" I cried, rushing past the firemen who were desperately trying to put the fire out. I pushed the front door open, the heat was intense. Smoke made my eyes water and sting.

"Mom! Dad!" I shouted over the sound of the crackling flames. "Maria!" I screamed. "Where are you guys?!"  
There was a crunch, and a portion of the ceiling collapsed, scattering sparks and embers. I ran up the stairs, towards Maria's room.  
"Maria?! Are you in there?!" I shoved the door open, to find it empty, save for her furniture, all of which was burning.

I heard a cry from below.

"_Isaac_?!" I stumbled back down the stairs, into Isaac's room. He was backed against the far wall, tears streaming down his small, blackened face.  
"Mac, _help_!" He cried. I scrambled forward, reaching out to him. The ceiling collapsed again, unable to bare it's own weight. Long wooden planks formed a fiery barrier in front of the door, blocking my way in.

"Mac!" Isaac cried again.

"Hold on!" I reached, through the planks, ignoring the burns on my arm, the intensely hot flames singed my fur. "Isaac!" I cried out, reaching to him.

A flurry of burning rubble fell from the ceiling, burying him.

"Isaac!" I screamed. "No!"

I could no longer handle the fire, my white fur burned to black. I pulled away.  
'_Get help, get the firefighters, they'll save him!_' A voice in my head spoke.  
I sprinted back outside, my vision blurred and body hot.  
"You have to help him!" I cried, grabbing one of the firefighters by his shoulders. "My brother's in there, he's trapped, save him!" I shook him. "_Save him!_" I cried.

Strong arms grabbed me from behind, dragging me from the flames, back towards the street.  
"Lemme go!" I screamed, writhing in their grip. "I have to help them! Let go!"  
"Mac, you _can't_ save them!" Panther's voice yelled back.  
The flames reached something flammable in the house, an explosion obliterating the house, blowing chunks of wood in every direction, and knocking several of the closer fire fighters off their feet.  
"No!" I screamed, trying to pull away from Panther. Tears streaked down my soot-blackened face, making small lines of white.  
Panther turned me around, into his chest, wrapping his arms around my body and holding me fast. I sobbed, my face against his chest.

'_Mac, help!' _Isaac's voice echoed in my mind.


End file.
